Beet-transplanter.



.No. 754,370. PATENTED MAR. 8, 1904. H. HUNTER.

BBET TRANSPLANTER.

APPLICATION TILED JULY 9. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented March 8, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

HOMER HUNTER, OF FORT COLLINS, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ARTHURC. BARTELS, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

' BEET-TRANSPLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 754,370, dated March 8,1904.

Application filed July 9, 1903. Serial No. 164,915. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HOMER HUNTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Fort Collins, in the county of Larimer and State ofColorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBeet-Transplanters; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention is an improved transplanter especially adapted for use intransplanting sugar-beets; and it consists in the peculiar constructionand combination of devices hereinafter described and claimed.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved implement of thischaracter which is adapted for use in taking up young beets togetherwith the earth which immediately surrounds them and for transplantingsuch beets and also for preparing the holes in which the beets are to beset.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation, partly insection, of a beettrans planting implement embodying my improvements.Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a central sectionalview of the lower portion of the same.

The arms 1 2 have their lower ends provided with inset shoulders 3 andare pivotally connected together at their lower ends by hinges 4: orother suitable devices. The inset shoulders 3 have their lower portionsflared outwardly from their inner sides, as at 5, and they are providedin their opposing sides at their centers with grooves 6, which widen asthey extend downwardly, as shown in Fig. 3. The upper ends of the arms 12 are provided. with oppositely-extending handles 7. The arm 2 isprovided for a suitable distance above its inset shoulder 3 with a slot8.

Shovels or blades 9, which are preferably trowel shape andconcavo-convex in cross-section with their convex sides outermost, havetheir upper portions secured to the outer sides of the arms 1 2 at thelower ends thereof, where the said arms are appropriately rounded to fitin the concave upper portions of the said blades or shovels. The latterextend below the arms 1 2 for a suitable distance.

A piston or tamper 10 is disposed to operate between the blades orshovels 9. The same has a central opening 11 of suitable size and shape,and its portions 12, which form opposite sides of the said opening, arebent, as

shown in Fig. 3, and are adapted to enter the space between the flaredportions 5 of the inset shoulders 3. A foot-piece 13 is connected to thepiston or tamper by means of rods 14:, which are bent, as shown in Fig.3, to operate in the grooves 6 and to extend through and operate in theslot 8. As here shown, the foot-piece and rods are formed integral; butthe same may be otherwise constructed. I do not limit myself in thisparticular, A spring 16, which is here shown as a coil retractilespring, is connected to said rods and is also attached to the arm 1, asat 17. The function of this spring, as will be understood, is to drawthe piston or tamper upwardly and normally hold the same in engagementwith the lower ends of the arms 1 2.

In the operation of my invention the upper ends of the arms 1 2 arefirst closed together and shovels 9 are inserted in the ground at theplace where it is desired to set a beet or other plant. The arms 1 2 arethen opened to some extent to cause the blades 9 to clamp the earthbetween them, and thesame being then withdrawn from the ground anopening is made, as will be understood, by the removal of the earth. Thearms 1 2 are then closed and the tamper operated by one foot to ejectthe core of earth from between the blades 9. The latter are then forcedinto the ground on opposite sides of the beet or other plant to betransplanted, the arms 1 2 opened, as before, to cause the said bladesto be compressed on opposite sides of the earth immediately surroundingthe plant, and the implement being then raised the plant, together withthe soil immediately attached thereto, is lifted and can then be readilyplaced in the opening or hole in the earth prepared to receive it. Bypressing lightly with one foot on the foot-piece the piston or tampermay be then caused to firm the plant in the ground and clear the samefrom the blades 9.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A transplanter, comprising pivotally-connected arms having blades attheir lower ends, one of said arms having a slot, a tamper disposed tooperate between said blades, a footpiece to operate the tamper andhaving a connection therewith extending through and operating in theslot, and a spring to normally raise the tamper.

2. A transplanter, comprising pivotally-connected arms having blades attheir lower ends,

nesses.

HOMER HUNTER. Witnesses a W. H. MULLIN, CHAS. THARP.

